OT: Team USA

[anklebreaker]

I agree that he shouldn't start but he is, and apparently will be, only getting about 15 minutes a game. According to the telecast, Coach K likes having him there because it's like having another coach. Either way, this team has a different feel than teams in the recent past. I think they're a lock for the gold and may find themselves in only 1 or 2 close games. The rest of them will be over by half-time.

Also... how about that Michael Redd fellow again? 14 minutes, 16 points, 3 boards on 6-10 shooting that included 4 for 8 from three. Not bad. :-)

Redd had a nice game, but the FIBA 3 point line is a joke.

[jemagee]

And lets' not forget

The joke that is the teams they were playing, these aren't medal contending teams are they?

[sixerscan]

And lets' not forget

The joke that is the teams they were playing, these aren't medal contending teams are they?

Not sure if they have the same team but Lithuania got 4th place in 04 and beat the US in pool play

[tk76-]

Redd can get the MVP (if there was such a thing) and I still would not want his 15/16/17.5M contract on the Sixers unless he was the last peice we thought would get the Sixers in the finals- which IMO he is not.

[TheGuiltyParty]

Redd can get the MVP (if there was such a thing) and I still would not want his 15/16/17.5M contract on the Sixers unless he was the last peice we thought would get the Sixers in the finals- which IMO he is not.

And that's where we differ. Right now, I don't think we have a legitimate chance of getting to the Finals but with Redd, I do. I can understand if you don't for various reasons because I feel that way about Jason Richardson. Some players make sense to me and some don't. Richardson doesn't do enough different things than Iguodala in order for me to even consider that option.

[tk76-]

I agree that Redd is a pure shooter in a way that Richardson is not.  He would be great in the Ray Allen role- but I don't think the team would have Finals talent if you exchanged Redd fopr Iguodala- unless Thad can develop Iguodala like all around skills. 

I think its more likely that Young becomes a top level scorer than a distributor glue guy like Iguodala.

I think in 2 years Iguodala/Young will be a much better combo than Redd/Young would be.  Maybe even on offense, but way better on defense and on the break.

[Skates]

Redd would be fine as a final piece of the puzzle, but if not his contract could prevent you from ever completing that puzzle.

[TheGuiltyParty]

Redd would be fine as a final piece of the puzzle, but if not his contract could prevent you from ever completing that puzzle.

That's an excellent point. His contract is fairly brutal and enough to not make a deal for him. I could be wrong, but there doesn't seem to be that many great, pure shooters starting in the league right now.

Hmmmm.... the more I think about it, the more I'm back on the Miller for Hinrich bandwagon. We need to upgrade that outside shooting!!

[tk76-]

My one reservation about Hinrich is his PG and leadership abilities- but if Ed knows he's not going with Miller beyond this season Hinrich seems as likely a candidate as anyone.

Despite the horrid defense, I would have liked to see the Sixers at least tried to steal away Calderon, but I guess they were not in a position to go after him without losing there shot at Brand.

IU still am somewhat amazed that the Sixers signed Brand.  I really never put the chances above 5%.

[TheGuiltyParty]

I think the odds of Miller re-signing here are about 50-50 and I don't believe they'll get any better during the season. He's left Brand before so it's not as though Brand being here is a lock that he'll re-sign in Philly and I doubt that the man of no words will give Stefanski any sort of a feeling one way or another before the trade deadline.

So the real question is going to be this: will Ed hold on to Miller the entire season and then roll the dice next summer or will he move Miller during the season as a way of making sure he gets something in return? I think it'll be the former which will make next summer almost as exciting as this past summer given that no one really knows what will happen.

[sixerscan]

Maybe the Clippers will realize they aren't near contending and trade us Davis for Miller+?

Hinrich I guess is another option but he was terrible last year so I would expect a little more back from them.

[TheGuiltyParty]

Maybe the Clippers will realize they aren't near contending and trade us Davis for Miller+?

Well now, that is an interesting thought. I wonder if Davis would be willing to come to Philly so shortly after returning home and more importantly, what would the cost be? You wrote that it would be Miller +... what's the +? Jason Smith? Marreese Speights? Thad Young??

[tk76-]

I don't think Ed can risk having Miller walk.  Assuming Iguodala signs, there will likely only be MLE money left even if you clear Miller's 10M from the cap.  That means they get nothing with his cap space.

After signing Brand they were 10M under the cap (Lou and Iguodala's cap holds.)  Assuming Iguodla+Lou=15M they will be at least 5M over the cap heading into the summer (maybe more if contracts are front loaded.)  Its hard to imagine clearing Miller's 10M would leave them any ore than the MLE(6M) under the cap sinnce no one else is expiring.

I'm fine with them extending Miler for 2-3 years for a reasonable contract- (maybe one that has him getting back-up money by year 3.)  I think Ed will know by the deadline whether Miller is willing to resign.  If now you either move him or gain nothing.  But I guess if they are contenders at the deasline then you can't trade him.

[jemagee]

Despite the horrid defense, I would have liked to see the Sixers at least tried to steal away Calderon, but I guess they were not in a position to go after him without losing there shot at Brand.

I would have liked to go after calderon too (I thought brand was an impossibility myself) but there really was not shot at calderon once the raptors traded ford, they made that statement and calderon was restricted...

[anklebreaker]

There's no need to rush into moving any core players right now.  We stand to lose nothing by entering the season as currently constructed... if any glaring weaknesses surface then we can explore mid-season trade opportunities.  Assuming Iguodala re-signs, I'm fine with our lineup.